URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan — Pangasinan Rep. Mark O. Cojuangco has prioritized infrastructure projects funded by his congressional funds to address the needs of his constituents.

Cojuangco has initiated the construction of several farm-to-market roads and the widening of roads, pushing economic growth.

He said farm-to-market roads will help farmers transport their products to the market, improving their livelihood and boosting agricultural productivity.

Cojuangco personally inspects the infrastructure projects to ensure the quality of work and that it is in line with its program of work and specifications.

He also visits barangays in his area to check on problems and bring the government closer.

Cojuangco vowed to serve his constituents and implement more infrastructure projects. (Fa Sison Almazan)

The Department of Justice (DoJ) is filing kidnap-for-ransom and robbery charges against eight Manila policemen, as it found out that they acted in complicity to abduct a businessman on May 19 last year.

In a 12-page resolution, Senior State Prosecutor Phillip I. Kimpo said there is sufficient basis to hold Insp. Carlos Constantino Perez Jr., PO3s Jaime L. Aquino and Christopher S. Palapal, and PO1s Rafaelito A. Corre, Joselito M. Sebastian, Joselito R. Quitoriano, Alex S. Magundayao, and Eric S. Sambajon, who were all assigned at the Manila Police District Intelligence Unit, liable for conspiracy to commit the crime of kidnapping for ransom and robbery, in connection with the abduction of Jose Tan Ong.

The suspects asked from Ong a R2-million ransom.

Kimpo said he could not help but find their defense to be a "plain fabrication to obviously serve as cover up of their crimes." (Gabriel S. Mabutas)

SAN PABLO CITY, Laguna — District Engineer Danilo Dequito of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Laguna Sub-engineering District based here reiterated yesterday the importance of the support of fellow district engineers on the retention of the architect item in every DPWH engineering district.

Dequito, president of the DPWH Region 4-A District Engineers League of the Philippines (DELP), who, along with Assistant District Engineer Pol de los Santos, attended the DELP regular meeting in Palawan last month, cited the need to retain architects in all district engineering offices regardless of evaluated class rank.

Dequito, who reported to DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. and DPWH Region 4-A Director Bonner Seguit the repair of portions of the Manila South Road in this city which developed corrugation, said the architect item, particularly its functions, is very important, that it must not be deleted in the DPWH national staff plantilla.

Dequito is optimistic that his colleagues in the DELP, top DPWH officials, and lawmakers will support his call to retain the architect item and exempt it in the implementation of the rationalization law in which not so important positions will be abolished. (Daniel N. Mangaba)